Fruit marking machine



P. E. TARLTON FRUIT MARKING MACHINEl A. Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan 25, l935 SW@ 79 N37. P. E. YTAm'roN FRUIT MARKING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 23.-, 1935 SeP- 7, 1937 P. E. TARLTON FRUIT MARKING MACHINE Filed Jan. 25, 1935 4 SheeLs--Shee'c 4 Patented Sept. 7, 19357 y PT FFICE FRUIT MARKING MA Perle Everett Tarlton, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Electric Fruit Marikingv Co., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application January 23, 1935, Serial No. 3,051

' 4 claims. (ol. 10i-37s) My present invention is embodied in a fruit rock shaft, the impeller wheels may be raised out marking machine of the type illustrated and def Operative drive connection with the fruit. scribed in my prior United States patent for fruit Another detailed feature of my invention. in marking machine No. 1,926,356 patented Sep- 'relation to the drive forthe impeller wheels retember 12, 1933. In this machine there is a fruit lates to the construction of the pulleys on a com- 5 conveyor which is in the form of a pair of parmOn drive Shaft Over Which Operates e V-type alle! chains having rollers attached thereto 0f belt- This Same Pulley Shaft forms the which rollers convey the fruit up a slight inmounting fOr the DiVOted arms, each Pair 0f cline and then discharge the fruit for its further which journal an impeller wheel, and each im-v lo Progress through the fruit marking machine. beller Wheel iS,1n the patent,drven by a V-type 10 The machine of the patent, however, does not belt from its-drive pulley. 'I'he improvement in have any way of adjusting the conveyor of the vthe drive Pulley COnSiStS 0f forming thiS in tWO fruit in reference tc the fruit marking elements adjustable parts so that the distance between the of the machine to c'ompensate for dilerences of Sides 0f the V may be regulated. that S, either l5 feed between large and small Size fruit, tightened or loosened and held in adjusted relal5 Therefore, one of the objects and features of tiOnShiP- In Order t0 Obtain this adl'llStInent the my invention is an arrangement for changing the Pulley is made in two sections, one with a hub on relative positions of the endless chain conveyor the Shaft, Such hub being Screw-threaded. and and the other parts of the fruit marking mahas a fixed COnVelglng ange fOIming One 0f the 2o chine. In order to develop adiderential feed for feces 0f the pulie'y- The othersection of the 20 large and smell size fruit the time of discharge Pulley 1S threaded on the hub and has a compleof the fruit is varied in its relation to the active mentari? lenge tO engage the OPPGSife Side 01' i elements which cooperate to mark the fruit. This the V beIt. These two sections of the pulley may f is done by having a disconnectible latch between thellefOle be adjusted in an eXiBl direction of the a drive sprocket for the endless conveyor and the Shaft and held in the adjusted DOSition. This iS 25 shaft of such Conveyor whereby the shaft and Simply regulated by providing limiting screws the drive sprocket may be fixedly connected i0.. which prevent an excess tightening or narrowing gether in a plurality of different relative angular 0f the space in the pulley. 'I'he direction of positions whereby a slight change in the timing drive tends to maintain the two faces of the of the discharge of fruit from the conveyor may Pulley in COrI'eOt adjustment. 30 be obtained in relation to the active elements In the Patent above mentioned there is an 1nwhich Cooperate to mark the fruit such as the' termittent drive for the printingy dies for marki time marking dies and the fruit impeller wheels ing the fruit, these beingr mOllnted 0n 8. die of the patent, A v wheel, and in addition, there is an intermittent- In the patent the impelier wheels which are of 1y operated inking ribbon. With my present im- 35 large diameter and have suitable resilient treads Pmi/ement fOr paSSing the fruit thrOligh the mafcr feeding the fruit and present this against Chine Withoutl marking there is no necessity for the intermittently operated marking die, may intermittently rotating the die wheels and ,also be adjusted in a vertical plane to vary the presfOr Operating the lnking ribbOn- TherefOre, 'One 40 sure on the fruit. lHowever, in some cases, it 0f my present imprOvementS iS in aSpecii-lc gear 40 is desirable tc pass a batch of fruit through the drive in'which one of two present meshing gears machine without having any marking thereon. iS arranged t0 have a Sliding movement and There is no provision in the patent for this. thereby in cooperation with a plug type of clutch Therefore, another object and feature of my on a sprocket wheel, forming an open or a closed invention is a device for raising an'd also to aldrive between this sprocket wheel and the gear 45 low lowering of the impeller wheels, these being tram- Thus, when the Clutch is Open there is no mounted each 0n @Voted arms each pail 0f arms interconnected drive between the sprocket wheel -having its wheel. I employ, in this connection, a and t pivoted rock shaft having arms or lingers which this drvgeekallt when the clutch 1S Closed 50 engage each pair of arms for the impeller wheels and thus may raise or lower such wheels, and in` This specific improvement employs a Sprocket order to lock this rock in an elevated position, keyfd on a'shaft and hai/'mg a' plug 0n one Sid? I employ a lever arm connected to the rock shaft, facmg towards a gear Shdably mounted 0n the which lever arm may be latched in an elevated hub on the sprocket. This gear has a socket in position and thus, by means of the arm on the its face to receive the plug on the SprOCket and dies for marking the segments and attached to the periphery of the die wheels.

is provided with a reduced neck, this neck being engaged by a yoke of the slidable clutch arm.

A further detailed feature of the gear yshaft comprises slidably mounting the yoke arm on a stud, or the like, and providing a handle which is rotatably mounted on a pin. This handle has a pair of notches either of which may be engaged in a cover plate, such cover plate having an opening through which the handle extends, and therefore the gear is either positioned in an open or closed relation to its associated sprocket@`A In the patent above mentioned the'pr'inting fruit are formed in half This requires a plurality of screws to attach each half section of the semi-circuy lar die.

,.tions hinged or pivoted -together at one side by a link. The die wheel has a plurality of studs or screws permanently attached thereto for centering purposes and to drive the dies without slippage, one of which studs extends through a recess at the link connected end of the dies. The dies on their under `face have cut-out notches to receive the other screws or studs on the die wheel. The two free ends of the dies are pulled together by wedging type of washer held in place by a screw which extends radially in the die wheel. By this construction the dies may be quickly changed when a different die marking is required on the fruit.

As above mentioned, my present improvements are embodied in a machine similar to that of my Patent No. 1,926,356, omitting features which do not enter into the present improvements and also showing in detail such improvements. Therefore, in the drawings:

Fig. l is an end elevation of the machine taken in the direction of the arrow I of Fig. 2 wherein parts not essential.to the present improvements are omitted.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l takenin the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 isa detailed transverse section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2 in the direction of the arrows showing the arrangement for changing the timing between the conveyor feed for the fruit and the marking portion of the machine.

Fig. 5 is a detail transverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig; 3 taken in the direction of the arrows showiiig the construction of the adjustable drive pulley for operating the impeller wheel.

Fig. i5 is a detail transverse section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2 taken in the direction of the arrows showing the clutch in a gear train between a gear and a sprocket on a shaft which latter operates the intermittent feed for the marking dies and other features of my present machine.

Fig. 7 is a detail longitudinal section of Fig. Gv

on the line 1-1 taken in the direction of the arrows.'

. ,'Fig, gis ya .detail longitudinal section: which mayfbe considered as on the line 8-8 .of Fig. l

in the direction ofthe arrows through a die wheel and the removable dies thereon.

I .Fig 9.,.is adetail transverse section on the line ses 0mg. a

in the direction of the arrows. In `the-following description the same numerals .on the shaft designated herein sed asin my patent above mentioned to identify similar elements of construction, although I may have, in the present invention, modified the details of such elements and designate such details by additional reference numerals.

The machine is provided with a base 6 extending upwardly, from which there arise end plates 1 and 8. A suitable sub-frame 9, which is supported on the end plates 1 and 8 carries a plurality of run-ways II, each of which is adapted to receive and carry the fruit to be marked.

For feeding the fruit to the runways II I employ a pair of parallel chains I2 which have a plurality of rollers I3 and thus form an endless conveyor. 'I'he chains and rollers operate over sprockets I4 and I6, these being rotatably mounted in a conveyor end plates 1 and 8 by brackets I8 and braces I9. The brackets may be adjustable in the manner described in my above mentioned patent, and similar provision madev to tighten or loosen a driving chain 23 connecting over a sprocket 2d I6" driving the sprockets I6. The chain also operates over a sprocket 2B on a stub shaft 21 mounted` on the end plate 8. Mounted for rotation with the sprocket 26 is a gear 28 meshing with a gear 29 driven by a speed reducer 3| which receives its driving force from a pulley 32 connected to any suitable source of power (not shown).

The fruit when deposited by the endless conveyor is discharged on the runway II. It rolls downwardly by gravity. To assist this action and to positively impel the fruit there is situated above each runway II an impeller wheel 38, each mounted on an axle 31. Each axle is held by a pair of arms 38 `and 39, each of which is freely mounted for pivotal movement onv a common shaft il carried in bearings 42 mounted on the end plates 1 and B, able. The shaft Iv has a plurality of pulleys 43 around each of which passes a V type of driving belt d4. Each belt drives one of the impeller wheels 36. These impeller wheels may be provided with resilient tires for engaging the fruit and a groove betweenV the tires to accommodate the driving belt 44. v

The shaft 4I at its extremity carries a sprocket i8 over which operates av chain 49 extending to a sprocket 5I secured to a which extends entirely across the machine and is journalled in the end' plates 1 and 8. Also mounted on the hollow shalt 52 a gear 53 meshing with the gear 28 on the stop shaft 21 so that when the wheels 36 are rotated Vin an appropriate direction to propel the fruit along the runways I I.

A suitable mark is impressed on the fruit by employing die wheels 55 mounted on a tube 51, this tube being journallled in the end plates 1 and 8, and each die wheel carries at its periphery a plurality of dies 58. These dies may be inked and rotated in a step by step manner by mechanism similar to that described in my patent above mentioned. However, the-details of the inking and the intermittent movement of the die wheels do not forni part of my present invention.

The intermittent drive for the shaft 51 having the die wheels is through a ltoothed wheel 8| (note Fig, l) on the end of the shaft 51. rlhis has spaced teeth 82 yforming channels between the teeth, and in these channels operates the rollerl 81 which is attacheditol an arm 86,`this latter arm being secured to'thel shaft 52.**Therefore, the rotation of this shaft 52 withlit's arm frame I1 secured to ther these bearings being adjustg transverse shaft 52 :I

mechanism is operated, the i acreage? 86 gives the intermittent rotation to the shaft 57 having the die wheels, in the manner described in my patent above mentioned.

Certain features of my improvements on the machine above described and identified are as follows: The timing device to regulate the endless fruit conveyor-is as detailed below, having reference particularly to Figs. 2 and 4.

In this case, a disconnecting latch designated by the assembly numeral 60 employs a latch disk 6l in the form of a hub which is attached to the shaft I 6 preferably by a set screw 62. From this disk there is a short arm 63 with -a boss 66 at the end, such boss having a recess 65 and a guide perforation 65 in its base. A stem 61 extends through this to the guide perforation 66 and has a nger grip knob 68 on its exposed end and a guide head 69 in the recess 65. A compression spring 1G is tted between the head 69 and the base of the recess tending to force the head 69 outwardly, and from this head there is attached a plug which is attached to t in any one 0f the perforations 'l2 in the sprocket wheel 24, which sprocket, instead of being keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to the shaft IB carrying the sprocket I6, is loose thereon so that it may rotate on suchshaft. Extending from the disk 6| there is a pointer finger T3 which may be aligned with anyone of thepindicia marks 'lll on the face of the gear 2E.

The manner of operating the timing latching device is as follows: Y

The sprocket 26 is connected by the sprocket chain 23 with the sprocket 26 on the shaft 27 and hence operates in conjunction with the gear 53 and gear 28 and the other parts of the drive with the propeller wheels 36 and the intermittently operated die wheels 55. Therefore. when it is desired to change the timing the hand grip knob 68 may be pulled'outwardly thus removing the plug 7| from one of the perforations 'l2 in the gear 24, then the disk 6l and the shaft I6' carrying the sprocket I6 may be slightly rotated and the plug Il fitted in one of the other perforations 12. In the illustration of Fig. 2 there are only two of these perforations shown, but, manifestly, others may be used. This rotating movement of the shaft I6 will either cause a forward or relatively backward movement of the upper run of the conveyor chains l2 and thus cause s slight change in the timing as to the discharge of fruit from the conveyor in reference to the intermittently operated die wheels and the associated mechanism therefor. Hence. with my present improvement I may obtain a better regulation of l the feeding of the fruit of different sizes to the marking part of the mechanism.

The device for raising and lowering the impeller wheels to bring such wheels out of opera tive contact with the fruit is as follows having reference particularly to Figs. l, 2 and 3:

As above mentioned. the impeller wheels 3E are carried by arms 38 and 39 rotatable on shaft M, and each of these wheels rotates on a shaft 3l journalled in the ends of the arms 38. The lifting mechanism employs a rock shaft 'i5 which is journalled in the end plates l and 8. This shaft has a regulating arm 'i6 attached thereto ai one end and through this arm extends ay regulating screw 'il which is adapted to contact an abui ment 'i8 on the end plate 8 and thus regulate the posi.

tion of therock shaft '15. This rock shaft has a plurality of fingers 'I9 attached thereto as by the set screws 80. Each nger has a slightly upturned tip 8l and each finger bears on the hub the oi a pair of the arms 38 and 39. Thus, 'hy adjusting the adjusting screw 'Il the arms 33 and 39 and hence the impeller wheels 36 may be held, when operative, at the correct elevation or height above the die Wheels 5S and off the runways H.

The device for elevating the impeller wheels to an inoperative position employs a lever arm 83 attached to the rock shaft l5 preferably by securing this to a portion of the arm 78. This m lever arm is formed of resilient material and its end is adapted to contact the face Eil of the upper portion of the end plate 8. rhe vertical edge 86 which is provided with a latching plate 8l has a sloping cam surface 88 and a notch il', which notch engages the outer or free end of the lever arm 83 and holds this in an upwardly clined position as indicated by the dotted line 90 of Fig. 2. This causes a rocking of the shaft 'l5 in such a direction as to elevate the fm? 19 from the full line position and thus i i n impellerwheels to such a height that they are out of Contact with any fruit that may feed down the runways Ii. Thisl allows the fruit to mn through the machine without b. marke-c2 by :it the die wheels and the dies there i. However, as it is not desirable to rotate the prol or to intermittentlA turn the die ofi'l drive connection for 1h machine.

This cut-ont employs designated by the numeral El? Figs. 2, 6 and '7. As abovf in my pa tout above mei extends tra nsversey am' a gear 53 and a sprockeiv 5i t the present arrangement li hub 93. which hub is keyed to tl gear 53 is slidably mounted or .p3 preferably a bushing;r Q'r' provided with a contracted ne at about the center lof the face of Lne teeth so that the arms 99 of a yoke arm lili] may engage in this neck for sliding the gear 53 longitudinally 45 on the hub 95. The teeth en the gears 2B and 53 are made of such a length that they will always be in mesh. The yoke aim itt has hub ii slidably mounted on a stud HZ?. This stud is secured to the nnd plate 8 of the frame of the ma- 50 chine and also to o celff-r plate 103 which encloses the various gears, or the like. A pin ii is attached to the `vokc arm and projects through an opening I05 in the plate $.53. On this pin there is a handle i having an offset section la? with a pair of notches i853 therein. The handle also has a hand grip end. iilS. Therefore, by rou iating the handle on the pin |65 a notch may be engaged with or disengaged from the plate iBS. When the notch Hi8 is so disengaged the yoke arm (u. may be moved longitudinally on the stud |02. This lateral moving action causes a stud H0 secured to the sprocket 5l to enter a driving recess III in the gear 53. This recess is tapered at one end so that in the direction of relative movement 65 of the sprocket 5i and the gear 53 the stud enters such recess and this takes up the drive with the gear 53. The slots 08 of the handle then secure the gear either in driving, that is, closed. or in non-driven, that is, open relation with the clutch assembly on the shaft 52.

Hence when this clutch is closed, the drive of the impellei` wheels and the intermittent motion of the die wheels is developed in a manner similar to my patent above mentioned but when the clutch is opened, these elements remain stationary, the gear 53 rotating in an idle manner.

As it is necessary to change the printing dies on the die wheels 96 sometimes quite often in a days work I provide a simpler construction than in my above mentioned patent. The improved removable dies are illustrated in detail in Figs. 8 and 9. The periphery ||5 of the die wheel 56 is cylindrical and is provided with a plurality of preferably the equally spaced threaded sockets H6, these being illustrated as four in number. In three of these there is a stud I I1 threaded in place, the heads ||8 of these studs projecting. 'I'he dies 58 are illustrated as formed in two semi-circular sections ||9, these being connected by a pair of links attached by pins |2| to the half sections of the die. This allows the dies to have a hinged .action and to be spread apart at the link. The

- ends of the half dies ||9 have a radial notch |22 which accommodates the head H8 of one of the bolts. In the4 construction' illustrated there is a single recess |23 in each of the half sections which each accommodate the head of one of the bolts l1. These bolts therefore prevent thevdie from slipping or being thrust laterally oi the cyiindrical surface ||5 of the die` wheel. The ends |24 of each of the half dies are constructed with a semi-coned recess |25 and each end has a substantially radial groove |26. These pairs of grooves accommodate a bolt |21 threaded in one of the threaded sockets ||4. The bolt passes through a washer |28 which has a. conical inside surface engaging the coned recesses |25. The head |29 of the bolt fits in a shallow recess in the washer. Therefore, when the bolt |21 is tightened the washer is, jammed downwardly on the partially coned recess |25 and thus has a wedging action tending to pull the two halves ||9 of the detachable die vinto closed contact with the cylindrical face I|5 of the die wheel. By this construction it will be noted that it is only necessary to remove the bolt |21 with the coned washer in order to detach the split die and that replacement dies may b readily attached and securely held in place by bolts and coned washer above mentioned.

In order to vary the tension on the V-shaped belt 44 and to regulate the pulleys 43 (note Figs. 3 and 5) ,such pulleys are formed in asplit construction. A main half section |30 has a hub |3| (note Fig. 5), this being secured to the shaft 4| by a set screw |32, or the like. This hub has an exteriorly threaded end -|33 and is provided with an outwardly extending flange |34 having a bevelled surface |35. Threaded on the threaded section |33 of the hub |3| there is a secondary hub |36. This has a bevelled surface |31, which, with thebevelled surface |35 forms an inward taper, such taper terminating at the parallel surfaces |38 and |39 on the main and the secondary hub respectively. These two hub sections are adjusted the correct distance apart by means of an adjusting set screw which is illustrated as threaded through the ange |34 and bears o n the fiat or plane end |39 of the secondary hub section |36. This adjusting screw may be clamped in place by means of a lock nut Ml, it being necessary to provide a groove M2 in the hub |3| to accommodate the wrench to operate the said nut. It is only necessary to provide this screw |40 to space 'the two departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a. device as described, a die wheel having a cylindrical peripheral surface, a die formed in two half sections each substantially semi-cylindrical on its inside surface and each having a plurality of dies thereon to impress fruit, the inside surface of the dies being adapted to contact the cylindrical surface of the die wheel, a hinge structure connecting the two die sections, the end of each die section opposite the hinge having a wedging surface and a screw threaded in the die wheel having a complementary wedging device to engage each die section and clamp such sections in a driving relation with the die wheel.

2. In a device as described, a. rotatably mounted die wheel having a circular peripheral surface, a die formed in two half sections, each half section having a substantially semi-circular inner surface to contact with the periphery of the die wheel, a link structure forming a hinge connection between two adjacent ends of the die. the opposite ends of the die having each a partially coned wedging surface, a screw threaded radially in the die wheel and having a washer thereon. the washer having a complementary conical under surface to engage with the semi-coned surfaces of the sections of the die to thereby clamp the die sections on the periphery of the die wheel.

3. In a device as claimed in claim 2, the die wheel having a plurality of studs with heads extending beyond its cylindrical surface, each of the dies having a socket on Aits undersurface, each to engage a. head of a stud and thereby prevent the die beingforced laterally off the peripheral surface of the die wheel.'

4. Ina device as described, a die wheel having a narrow cylindrical peripheral surface, a die formed in a plurality of sections, each having a complementary curvature to that o f the die wheel on its inner surface to form a close contact with the surface of the die wheel, a hinged connection between each of the dies except the two free ends of the dies, an attachment means forming a wedging connection between the free ends of the dies and the die wheel, and means interengaging the dies and the die wheel to prevent the dies being forced laterally ofi the die wheel.

. PERLE EVERETT TARLTON. 

